Beijing’s Gardening Guru Reveals How to Grow as a Family

It all started with a hand-me-down Devil’s Ivy plant. Despite my lack of know-how, it thrived on a little sun-deprived bookshelf in my apartment. Then came a celery root cut-off, which I stuck in a glass jar and watched explode into growth. Since then, I’ve been experimenting with all manner of green friends, growing, testing, repotting, and generally trying to figure out how to turn my tiny balcony into a lush hanging garden that would make a Babylonian jealous. Recently, I was added to the WeChat group Beijing Urban Gardening, where experienced and novice urban gardeners alike trade progress pictures, seed recommendations, advice, and troubleshoot plant problems. The man behind it all is Antoine Mansuy, owner and chef at The Roots restaurant in Yizhuang, and keen urban gardener for whom cultivating plants is simply part of life.

Growing up in the northeast of France, Mansuy says that pretty much every family in his village had their own plot of land and vegetable garden and although he is long since accustomed to living in big cities, having access to fresh homegrown veggies was something he always missed when he had to rely on “weak supermarket” produce to cook dinner.

As soon as he set up his restaurant in Yizhuang, Mansuy entered discussions with the local authorities, eventually obtaining permission to cultivate a patch of land near the restaurant. His initial goals were modest: “The idea was to grow some herbs that were hard – if not impossible – to buy, for the restaurant. To just grow and cook good food.” Over time, just as Mansuy’s restaurant business has expanded to a total of three locations, that modest plot had grown to a 600sqm display garden, which still supplies his restaurants, and several herb gardens scattered around the area. He also frequently hosts events for local kids and parents to encourage them to engage with fresh produce and the magic of growing. “We usually kick-start the season with ‘seedbomb’ workshops, where children get to make their own seedbombs and then plant them in the streets around their neighborhood. Then, as the season progresses we have workshops on cutting, transplanting, and cooking. At the end of the season, it’s all about cleaning the garden, and a big Halloween special when the garden looks dead and haunted”.

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As a father to a four-and-a-half-year-old son, Mansuy is well versed in the benefits of getting kids engaged with plants at an early age. Parents of picky eaters take note, because according to Mansuy, kids who grow food also become more interested and adventurous about it. “They get to grow and figure out their favorite herbs, and they are free to pick leaves and smell and munch on them. By doing so, they build up their ‘flavor library’ and are more likely to welcome unusual tastes when they eat their meals.” Growing a garden also teaches children about abundance and sharing. “There are always insects eating part of the crops, but there are always more leaves growing than the insects can eat. Kids learn to share, and learn that nature has the right to claim a share of their work for the future good.”

But what if you don’t have access to a 600sqm patch of land to begin your growing adventure? No problem, says Mansuy, anyone can grow, even in the tiniest Beijing apartment, as the many members of the gardening group can attest. For Shaohua Li, urban gardening has given her many benefits beyond fresh herbs. “Watering my plants while sipping coffee first thing in the morning has become a ritual since this spring. This routine helps me to freshen up my mind and calm down during the pandemic.”

For Eugene Choong, cultivating plants began as a way to deal with the terrible air pollution he experienced in Beijing when he first moved to the city, eight years ago. This brought a breath of fresh air and greenery into Choong’s home: “It got me hooked on plant keeping; starting with succulents then moving on to leafy tropical plants.” His beautiful and growing plant collection is a testament to the addictive nature of gardening.

Ready to begin? According to Mansuy, plant choice is very important in the tough climate we experience in Beijing. While ornamental chilli and cherry tomato plants may look attractive, he warns that the wet and hot summer usually proves fatal to such species. “Unless you have a very rich lively soil, they’ll fall prey to diseases and parasites.” Therefore, he says you’re better off starting by growing herbs, as “they are resilient, quick to grow, and fun to nibble on for kids.”  Even getting your first plants is an opportunity to engage with your local community: “head to your favorite western restaurant (like The Roots for example) and ask them politely if they’d spare a few fresh herbs to get you started.” Then, put them in glasses of fresh water and take your kids and watch the herbs grow roots. This stage might take a couple of weeks, he says, but when they have a relatively solid root system, you can plant them in fresh soil, keep them nicely watered in a sunny spot. “Then, you can pick leaves directly from the plant to cook, brew them in an evening tea, or burn them as incense to get rid of mosquitoes.”

And yes, even with all his outdoor space, Mansuy still gardens at home. “The space is limited, with just a balcony and a few windows, but the home garden is mostly a nursery for herbs and plants that will then be transplanted outside. Home is also where I store some of my most precious plants over the winter season, and my seed bank.”

It’s not hard to see why Mansuy has become such a gardening guru, both in person and via his Wechat group, nor why more and more Beijingers are taking up the challenge to green this huge urban jungle, one balcony at a time.

To join the Beijing Urban Gardening group, add Mansuy on WeChat (ID: Antoinemansuy)

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Photos: courtesy of 鄢晓霞 Yan Xiaoxia, Daniel Lim, Songqiao Yao, Elke Scholiers, Laura Clark, Tracy Wang, Katrina Yu, Kelly Dawson, Eugene Choong